Hogwarts Engine
by Friedrickson2
Summary: The Hogwarts Express needs an engine when its usual breaks down. Snape is sent to find one on Sodor. The engines, nosy parkers, and Snape's difficult relationship with the Muggle world causes problems.
1. Chapter 1

"This is going to be a real problem, Professors ," said the engine driver to Hogwarts Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore as they all stood on the platform of Hogsmeade Station, which serves both the village of Hogsmeade and the neighbouring Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The GWR 4900 engine, used to pull the Hogwarts Express, was currently spewing out steam and groaning.

"What exactly happened, driver?" asked McGonagall. "Well….she hasn't been given an overhaul in over thirty years, and her safety valve, regulator, and gears are done for. They're not something we can just magic away. We'll need proper repairs without magic."

"Muggles are geniuses with their hands," said Dumbledore. "Are you saying we give the engine to Muggles, without them knowing where we got it, why it's coloured like this...we could break the Secrecy Statutes!" exclaimed McGonagall. "Yes, and it's the beginning of term soon. We'll need another engine. Preferably a steam engine too….the purebloods and the students love them," said the driver.

"I think I know where we can find a steam engine to pull our Express this September," said Dumbledore.

"Really?" asked McGonagall. "Remember those Caledonian engines, Minerva, who saw the Hogwarts Express whilst pulling a goods train together, in 1953?"

"Those two? Those jokers? We used Memory Charms on their crews, but they didn't work on those engines! How in the good name did engines become sentient?"

"I can hear you three talking," said the engine, getting annoyed.

"We're sorry, Helga," said the driver.

"Besides, there's only three Caledonian 812s left! How do we not know they weren't scrapped!"

"They weren't scrapped," said the driver. "They were sent to the North Western Railway, on the Island of Sodor, and still work there as utility engines. We could use either of them, both of them, or another part of the railway's fleet."

"How many engines?" asked Dumbledore.

"The two 812s we're talking about, a GWR 5700 0-6-0PT, a GWR 1400 0-4-2T, a GER D56- the last of its kind, a J70 steam tram, a BR Class 28, an SR USA Dock Tank 0-6-0T, a rebuilt Furness Railway K2 with 3500 Fowler tender and D49 cab, an industrial 0-4-0ST, a modified L&Y Class 28 2-6-0, a Billinton E2 with extended side tanks and a forward-dipped running plate-strangely enough, its back is straight, so it must have been either rebuilt or built like that by accident, a Stanier Black Five, an A1 Pacific that's going to be rebuilt into an A3, a GNR Stirling Single, an SR Q1, a BR Class 07, an LMS Ivatt 2MT, a DMU, a BR Class 35, a Dubs 0-4-0CT, two Class 08s, a GNR N2 and a battery-electric engine.

"All in all, about 25 engines."

"Sounds like a big railway-and Sodor's not that big, to tell the truth," murmured McGonagall.

"Still, it's a good place to look for an engine," said Dumbledore. "I'll have Snape go down and look for one and tell me which one is the best option. Hopefully, nothing will happen."

* * *

 **For those of you who don't know, these are the engines:**

 **Industrial 0-4-0ST=Percy**

 **Caledonian 812s=Donald and Douglas**

 **DMU=Daisy**

 **Class 35=Bear**

 **GNR N2=Ryan**

 **SR Q1=Neville**

 **Ivatt 2MT=Arthur**

 **SR USA Dock Tank=Rosie**

 **BR Class 07=Salty**

 **GNR Stirling Single=Emily**

 **GWR 5700=Duck**

 **A1/A3 Pacific=Gordon (they probably have the money to convert him, and he probably wants to)**

 **Stanier Black Five=Henry (post-Flying Kipper rebuild)**

 **Furness K2=Edward**

 **GER D56=Molly**

 **BR Class 28=BoCo**

 **Class 08s=Sidney and Paxton**

 **J70=Toby**

 **L &Y Class 28=James**

 **Dubs 0-4-0CT=Harvey**

 **GWR 1400=Oliver**

 **Battery-electric engine=Stafford**

 **Billinton E2=Thomas**

 **I hope you like this. I've been thinking of this idea for a while.**


	2. Chapter 2

Severus Snape didn't understand why he had to go to the Island of Sodor for an engine to pull the Hogwarts Express-surely they could use some spells and have her fixed up in time for the 1st of September?

However, it appeared that all attempts to fix Helga using magic didn't work out very well in the past, so it had to be by hand she was fixed.

Snape groaned inside-he couldn't wear his normal clothes, as they were too suspicious in appearance. So he picked clothes that were less flashy, but still suited him-a black three-piece suit with purple tie. He looked like an important businessman in his clothes, which he liked-it meant people would treat him well, and not look at him twice.

He checked his pocket-watch. The time was 11.00. He was currently on board the express from London St. Pancras to Barrow-in-Furness-at Barrow, an engine from the NWR would take it to Tidmouth. It was the express from Tidmouth to St. Pancras, stopping only at Knapford and Crovan's Gate, however, that was named the 'Wild Nor'Wester'.

Snape smirked to himself. He'd enjoy himself more once the train reached Barrow. He, like many other people, preferred steam to diesel-steam engines always had that charisma about them, you could see their parts moving, they were loud, they were hard work-they are like people in a way.

* * *

At last, after a few hours, the train stopped at Barrow, and the passengers got off and onto the platform. There, Snape saw an engine-the Stanier 5, NWR No. 3 'Henry', painted shamrock green with scarlet red stripes, pulling eight LMS Period III Stanier corridor coaches painted in the NWR's primary express livery of pine green and cream surrounds.

He got into his compartment, waited for the guard, and relaxed. He was here on official school business, but he was pleased with the lack of students to annoy him-no Potter, no Longbottom, no Weasleys, no Granger (even though she was a know-it-all, there was something about her that reminded him of Lily, for some strange reason), no Crabbe and Goyle (why Draco had those two twits follow him around, he'd never know), and no worrying about the Death Eaters.

He watched out his window, and saw the stations and other trains go by, taking notes as he did so.

He saw the Hughes 28 at Crovan's Gate with a goods train of twenty four-wheeled oil tankers, and an LMS brakevan at the back. At Wellsworth, the K2, painted royal blue with scarlet red stripes and lining, was there, with five GER Holden coaches painted pine green with custard windows, and the Class 35 with four BR Mark I coaches painted in the NWR mainline local livery-crimson and custard window surrounds with a blue stripe where the two colours met. At Lower Knapford, he saw the E2, painted the same blue and red livery as the K2, with two LBSCR bogied coaches from the Stroudley era painted light orange with maroon lining, waiting for another mainline train. He was impatient, by the looks of his face.

Finally, they reached Tidmouth Station, the main station and headquarters of the North Western. Snape got out of his compartment and onto the platform. As soon as all the passengers and baggage were off, the SR USA Dock Tank came up to the back of the coaches, was coupled on to them and took them away whilst Henry went off to rest before his next train, a local.

* * *

Having arrived at his destination, Snape went to look for the nearest wizarding building, which was easy, as it was a wizard hotel named (predictably, he found, due to the Island's railway theme), _The Warlock Station_ , founded 1826. He was pleased that it had the same charms preventing Muggles from going to it that _The Leaky_ _Cauldron_ had. Looking left, then right, he walked to the door, opened it and entered the building.

It was wonderful inside, with dark blue velvet carpets and a chandelier. A bellboy, dressed in a maroon suit, came up to him and Snape gave him his bag, before he (Snape) went up to the reception, where the concierge was.

"Ah, hello there, Professor Snape. Room for one?" asked the concierge.

"Yes, please. For ten days. And I'll need to borrow an owl. Dumbledore wants me to go train-spotting and send him details about the engines on the North-Western Railway."

"Ah. Why's that then?"

"Helga's damaged. Apparently, Dumbledore thinks it would be better to have some Muggles look at her then use Memory Charms on them. A waste of time, in my opinion."

"A pity. Still, it's probably better to 'ave her fixed without magic. Look at Henry-when he came here in 1919, he was a poor steamer, tiny firebox, looked like a cross between an Ivatt Atlantic and an A1 Pacific. And now, he's a beauty of an engine. And the only magic was that they probably made him better than Gordon!"

"Alright then," said Snape slowly, before asking "Can I have my key now?"

"Oh yes, alright," said the concierge, still with a bit of a cheery voice. Snape groaned inside. He really didn't like these kind of people.

* * *

The next day, Snape woke up at his usual time of 6.00. He groaned inside. He didn't like what he was here to do, but he wanted to get it over with.

He got dressed, took out a camera and a notebook, then placed these items into his pocket and left the hotel, to observe the engines of the North Western Railway at work.


	3. Chapter 3

Snape made notes of Tidmouth Station as soon as he reached it, waiting for the first train of the day to be shunted into place.

"Two through lines that do not go through platforms. Six lines that do, two of which end at the station and one line that serves as the beginning of the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branchline, which next year will be extended to Harwick."

"Hallo, sir! What're ya doin'?" asked a voice. Snape hissed quietly and turned around to see a man in a blue uniform.

"I'm making notes on the station. I'm going to be going around the railway, taking notes on the engines and rolling stock," replied Snape, before asking, "Who might you be?"

"I'm the stationmaster," replied the man. Snape nodded, before saying, "Well I won't disturb you. Don't worry." He smiled weakly, which more than likely made him look creepier than usual. The stationmaster nodded with a look saying 'O…kay, then', and walked off. Snape sighed inwardly.

Twenty minutes later, at 6.30am, the SR Dock Tank, painted in NWR shamrock green with red stripes with the letters 'NWR' painted on her side with a nameplate saying 'Rosie' on her smokebox, her NWR number (13) and her BR number (30071) on her bunker chuffed into the station backwards, pulling five Gresley Non-corridor coaches in the mainline local livery. The Mark 1s were the coaches used for the Wild Nor' Wester express, with Stanier Period IIIs for the 'Limited'.

He wrote down notes about her.

"SR USA 0-6-0T. Tidmouth Station Pilot. Smiling a lot, must be energetic and friendly personality. Is unsuitable due to design-Hogwarts Express is usually eight coaches (ten if including luggage carriages) and would be too heavy for her, and too long a distance."

He mentally added, 'a Hufflepuff if I ever saw one'.

* * *

A minute later, the SR Q1 went by with a train of empty cattle trucks, heading presumably for Brendam.  
Five minutes later, the Hughes 28 backed down onto the early morning express. Snape took down notes.

"NWR No. 5, 'James'. L&Y Hughes Class 28, was built into a 2-6-0 with 5 foot six inch driving wheels in experiment to combat the class' nose-heaviness. Is painted scarlet red with black stripes and wheels and brass dome and boiler bands."

"Come on people, look at the view. Look at me. I'm the most splendid engine on this railway, and I'm not going to be in your view for long!" said James with a voice that said 'I'm sexy, and special, so gaze upon me like a god-which I am!' Or, as other people say, a narcissistic twit. Snape rolled his eyes.

He added five minutes later as the train set off, "Suitable substitute." Mentally, he stated, 'a true Gryffindor. Conceited and arrogant.'

At seven o'clock, the GWR 57xx, painted in Great Western livery with the GWR number '5741'near its bunker next to his NWR number (8), came in with a small goods train of five closed goods wagons and a GWR 'toad' brakevan. Snape looked at the engine, and began taking down notes about him.

"NWR No. 8, 'Montague' or 'Duck', built 1929. Former GWR 5741. GWR 5700 Class 0-60PT, was modified with sandboxes immediately upon arrival. Arrived on North-Western Railway in 1955 direct from Paddington Station (he made the journey himself), and was given goods duties of Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branchline in 1967, with NWR No. 13 'Rosie' taking his place as Tidmouth station pilot in 1968. Is able to pull some of the coaches in Hogwarts Express, but would be unable to full for same reasons as 'Rosie'."

A few hours later, after no trains passed through, he saw the Caledonian Railway Twins double-heading. He eyed them carefully, his experiences with Fred and George Weasley making him wary of twins. Then again, you'd be the same if you were teaching either of them. Add to the fact their mother had a fiery temper to go with the hair and you had the reason he hadn't murdered either of them yet.

At ten past eight, the station pilot finally came in again, pulling about seven empty BR Mark I coaches in the primary express livery. After being uncoupled, she went off to collect some Stroudley carriages for the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh line. Snape knew that in two hours, these coaches would be leaving the platform as the 'Wild Nor' Wester' express, stopping at Upper Knapford, Crovan's Gate, and Barrow, where it switched engines and made the journey non-stop to St. Pancras in London.

* * *

 **AN: The BR number I gave Rosie belonged to a genuine Dock Tank that was scrapped in 1968.**


End file.
